Birthday Bash Bewilderment
by FutileCrux
Summary: On December 2, Natsumi Hinata received five gifts of unexplained purpose. Until her curiosity got the better of her.
1. A Horide Story

Hello Dear Readers,

I am a recent fan of Sgt. Frog and I adore the dubbed version Funimation, made so this story is set with that in mind. While watching Natsumi's birthday episode I was struck by inspiration. How on earth did Giroro get all those presents for her? And what was their significance? So I came up with a few episodes of love and laughs for two of my favorite characters.

**Narrator**

_Thoughts._

Regular speech.

Giroro and Natsumi Present: A Horide Story.

* * *

**Some of you may recall the incident of December 2 vividly, but for those of you without photographic memories let me summarize. Natsumi was surprised with a birthday party by Keroro and company. There were games, cake, and of course presents. Giroro showed up toward the end with some of the rarest, most difficult to find space gifts. This tale is about how he obtained them and why.**

**So without further ado, we begin our story. Like most nights at the Hinata household, Natsumi was finishing the dishes from dinner. It might have turned out to be a boring old school night except for one little factor…I'll let you figure out who that is.**

Keroro burst around the corner into the kitchen clutching what looked like a tree branch with a glowing silver ball on the end of it.

"Natsumi!Defender of Pekopan and all that reside in it, I have a…" THUMP!

The Keronian sergeant tripped over his own feet and rolled to a stop with a bump. Miraculously, the object he had been clutching remained in one piece.

**(We'll just call it dumb luck the thing didn't get smashed.)**

"What is it frog? I'm a little busy at the moment."

"Well," Keroro's eyes were shining with delight, "Operation Afro Disco night needs a disco ball to complete the party! And since you aren't using this jeweled branch whatchamacallit we wanted to know if we could borrow it?"

Natsumi placed her latest dish back into the water and looked at the object in question. The glowing orb shone faintly in silver facets on the smooth branch. Her mind churned back to the event in which she received the object and suddenly curiosity sank its pointed teeth into her. The jeweled branch of the Horai galaxy was one of the gifts Giroro had given her for her birthday and she had never thought to ask what it was for. She had set it on the shelf in her room and…

"Wait!Did you go in my room?"

Keroro sweat-dropped, "Well, I….uh, yes?"

He trembled as Natsumi's eyes narrowed in wrath. Before the poor frog could make a dash for it she had him by his round head and was shaking him, albeit more gently than usual; at least the green twerp was asking her permission to borrow the silly thing.

"I will let you borrow the branch, as long as you bring it back; but the next time you go into my room without permission…your frogs will be picking up pieces of you for a month!"

"Ke-kero…thank you Natsumi," said Keroro as Natsumi unceremoniously dumped him on the ground. He was off and running before she could change her mind.

Her thoughts were, luckily for him, on a scarred, red Keronian with enough cold and calculating rage to destroy an army. She had gotten several gifts from the serious red warrior and she had no clue what the purpose was of any of them. Dororo and the others had been mightily impressed and now Natsumi felt the familiar bite of curiosity nipping at her consciousness.

She finished the dishes, emptied the sink, and after toweling off her hands stepped out into the cool evening light of the setting sun. She could see Giroro sitting in the light of his little campfire roasting, what she presumed was sweet potatoes.

As quietly as she could she walked through the grass toward him.

"Giroro?"

The red keronian looked up and sideways at her.

"Natsumi."

She smiled at him, "Can I ask you something?"

The Armpit platoons corporal rested his roasting stick at the fires edge and turned to face her directly.

"Sure."

Natsumi took a seat next to him, tucking her legs to her chest and leaning into the fires warmth.

"It's about that jeweled branch you got me…the one from the Horide galaxy."

Was she imagining it, or was the stalwart keronian blushing?

"Huh, you remember that do you? Well if you're just here for a story you should go ask Keroro…he's better at telling tales than I am."

Natsumi shuffled her feet a little.

"The stupid frog wasn't there when you got it for me and besides," she laughed, "I don't know if I would be able to believe a story coming from him."

Giroro closed his eyes and opened his mouth in quite possibly the most subtle smile in the world, the corners of his eyes crinkling appealingly.

"Heh…your right, I don't believe half the stuff that idiot says."

Natsumi squinted her eyes at him, "So you'll tell me then?"

The corporal opened his mouth in a breathy huff of indecisiveness.

"You could treat it like a mission debriefing."

He glanced at her skeptically and was caught in her hazel gaze. _I'm officially a chump._

"Alright fine, if you really want to know, I'll give it a shot."

* * *

**(And so settling back onto his block, the red Keronian began his stor…er, mission debriefing.)**

"The Horai Galaxy is just beyond your own, in that direction," Giroro pointed above the Hinata home to the far western horizon beyond the last vestiges of the fallen sun," Since it was the closest I made it my first stop."

"First stop?" Natsumi questioned.

Giroro looked back at her for a moment. "Yeah…I had a list."

"You know one gift would have been enough Giroro."

The red keronian shrugged, "Different planets, different customs, on our planet the amount of gifts represents the amount of lo..ugh." Giroro seemed to choke and sizzle for a moment, sounding not unlike the fire in front of them, "ughmm….respect you have for someone else."

Natsumi smiled triumphantly, "So you respect me an awful lot, huh."

Giroro closed his eyes the corners lifting, "More than a little I suppose."

"You suppose? Five gifts is more than a little."

The red corporal didn't answer immediately.

**(He's too busy hiding his blush in the opposite direction.)**

* * *

In the silence, Natsumi felt slightly awkward. The quiet moments she shared with Giroro were usually quite comfortable to her and she often found herself looking forward to spending time with the red corporal after the stress of school and chores. The moment was a break from the days events that replaced her tiredness with a sense of calm refreshment. Her eyes settled on the quiet keronian, silent and serious in the firelight. It felt like forever before he spoke.

"You are worthy of my respect Natsumi Hinata." _And my love…_

Her heart tugged a little at his words, as if sensing the something implied hanging in the air between them.

"But if you want to hear the story you should probably stop distracting me…"

Of course, he would ruin his praise with something like that.

"Tsk, fine…carry on debriefing soldier."

The soldier continued.

"The Galaxy is named for the jeweled branches of its Horide trees, their light is said to reflect in more colors than a diamond. All you have to do is point a strong light at them and they multiply it by tens of thousands of rays. The captains of the first starships sought them for their ability to light up the darkest parts of space. The stars they reside on are so bright…"

Giroro stopped mid-explanation and shrugged, "…anyway, they're really shiny."

Natsumi chuckled, "Can't describe pretty things, eh?"

"Nothing pretty about Horide trees, if you don't know about the black Grimes."

Natsumi's smile fell, "Black Grimes?"

"They're the monsters that guard the Horide trees. The planet Horai is bright like your sun. The Horide trees multiply its light and you can't see the Grimes coming until they're practically on top of you."

Natsumi could suddenly see the bandages that covered Giroro's battered body as he stood exhausted and battle-worn in the doorway.

"Were they the ones that hurt you?"

He shrugged nonchalantly.

"I knew about them in advance and I was prepared, but I suppose one might have bitten my arm."

She recalled that both of his arms had been bandaged.

He turned his gaze to the fire and sighed.

"Tsk, I haven't talked this much in ages."

Natsumi tilted her head thoughtfully, "Well, yeah…does it bug you?"

The red corporal of destruction looked up at her, "A little, I can't discuss battle tactics with my greatest opponent."

"Well, do you consider me as anything else?"

"Maybe."

His reply seemed so loaded. She had never much considered the red Keronians carefully guarded emotions. Hell, she hadn't been sure he had any. Until the past months and the realization that Giroro, like some humans she knew, just wasn't so good at the emotional stuff, unless it was the extremes of them anyway.

"Do you consider me a partner? A friend?"

He closed his eyes again, focusing on some hidden emotion and crushing it.

Squish…

**(That was Giroro obliterating his sudden heart surge. Apparently, keronian hearts squish.)**

"I…How about I just finish the debriefing?"

Natsumi rocked back on her heels, dissatisfied with his answer. _He's avoiding the question again._

"I once told you I'd never have thought I'd become friends with any alien…but, out of all the frogs, "she grinned at him, "you're the one I share the most in common with."

Giroro just stared at her open-mouthed. _Natsumi?_

She shrugged it off like it was no big deal turning her eyes to the sky in the direction of the Horai galaxy.

"Heh, We share a lot in common, right down to our stubbornness level," She leveled her gaze at him, "So, are you my partner, soldier?"

Squelch…

**(That was Giroro crushing his desire to melt into a happy puddle of mush.)**

Her subtle fire, determination, and the straightforwardness of her statement, _I didn't fall in love with the wrong person._

His reply was a little raspy, "Tsk…I suppose."

"Good, partners share information that could save their lives."

She had him and she knew it. For once, Giroro didn't mind being put in a tight spot conversationally.

"Well, not much to it anyway. The Grimes are easy to fight if you have the right gear. Namely a good set of goggles dark enough to protect your eyes from the light. Grimes are black as hell, so against that light with the goggles on they are easy to see. Speed was essential to the mission. I was in and out pretty quickly."

Natsumi glanced over at him, "That's it? You...Corporal blazing guns didn't kill a single Grime?

Giroro shrugged, "I told you it was a quick mission, there was more I had to do."

"More?"

He turned to face her, eyes glimmering blue-gray turned ruddy by the firelight.

"Ye-ah…anyway that's the story of the jeweled Horide branch."

"But Giroro…why did you get the branch for me in the first place?"

The silence seemed to stretch this time. Giroro couldn't seem to make eye contact with her and his response, when it eventually came, was forcibly bland.

"For defense of course, I thought you could use it to blind your enemies."

**(What? Did you really expect him to state the fact he thinks her smile is brighter than a thousand Horide trees?)**

* * *

The statement seemed to have a profound impact on Natsumi as she went extremely pale.

"Oh Crap!"

Giroro was caught off guard as his partner then rocketed to her feet and spun toward the house in a whirlwind of pink hair.

"Natsumi!"

"Gah! I'm sorry Giroro….I…uh…I gotta make sure that dumb toad hasn't blinded himself and everyone else with the Horai ball!"

"What?"

But she was already gone slamming the door to the kitchen with a bang.

Giroro turned to his dying fire and his thoroughly burnt dinner.

Maybe the Sergeant knew better than to use a Horide branch and its gleaming ball for disco night, but judging from the hideous wailing emanating from below ground…apparently not.

**(So is Natsumi still curious about the cranky corporal? Are Keroro and the others still able to see past their noses? Will Giroro ever confess his love? And will the author actually manage to get everyone in character? Find out next time in Giroro and Natusmi present: Flaming Fire Mouse Morbidity.)**

* * *

And Dear Readers, this ends the beginning of our tale. Shall I continue this story? Or are my efforts in fanfiction comparable to Keroro's takeover of Earth? Let me know =)

All flames, however, will be laughed at and promptly destroyed by Tamama's CRAZY RAGE BREATH! Just as soon as he can see…

If it pleases you, Review!


	2. Flaming Fire Mouse Morbidity

I love my Readers! I really forgot how inspirational good reviews can be. One reason I love good fanfiction is that we all can connect and help each other improve our writing, not to mention do some laughing (I really love laughing and tormenting characters, kukuku).

Runwithscissors let me in on the back story to this little episode and I found it pretty awesome.

I am going to do my best to include a bit of the fairytale into my story. Just wiki _The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter_ and be amazed. I don't want to give away any surprises, but the incorporation is going to be mighty fun!

So thanks to you RunwithscissorsXXXbattlescars, Rainbowkittyblossomwings, ZanyAnimeGirl, joyfullyme16, Kikyoremura, and all the others who have been kind enough to drop a review on my little tale…

This story is dedicated to our Favorite Red Corporals Birthday! Which just happens to be today 7/23…which means this chappie is pretty fluffy. So on with the tale!

**Narrator**

_Thoughts_

Speech

Giroro and Natsumi present: Flaming Fire Mouse Morbidity!

* * *

**It would have been like any other Friday at the Hinata Home, if they didn't have 3 frog aliens bent on taking over the world and another alien bent on obliterating it living with them. Natsumi would probably have been ready for school. As it is, she's trying desperately to get things under control in the wake of last night's dilemma. It's a blindingly painful situation…**

"Giroro!"

The red keronian poked his head out of the tent, just as Natsumi poked hers out of the open patio door.

_Holy! Blood, violence, death, kill…_

She was so adorable.

Her fluffy pink hair was floofed out, her eyes droopy with sleep, looking completely disorientated and vulnerable. His heart squeezed with the familiar sensation he associated with her appearance and he fought to calm the rising heat with words that soothed the flames of passion, bringing his business profession to the forefront.

_Blood, violence, death, kill…_

**(They also keep his cheeks from bursting into flame and his head from exploding.)**

"I'm sorry to bug you this early…but could you help me?"

He didn't need to ask why. He could now hear the tearful moaning inside the house quite clearly.

"How will I read my COMICS!"

"Sis, I can't find my pants!"

"This is WORSE than eating sugar-free candy!"

"Uncle, I still can't see anything. Are you sure the lights are turned on?"

**(You can probably guess who said what.)**

"It sounds like Hell in there."

Giroro's comment brought a half-smile to her face, "Yeah…I didn't know about the abilities of my cosmic Horai ball thing before I let Keroro borrow it. Can you help?"

"As if I'd say no…You're in this mess because I didn't share useful intelligence with you."

She shrugged, "I never asked about it before, so it's 50/50 on the blame."

He sighed, "To bad Keroro doesn't have any useful intelligence or there wouldn't have been a mess in the first place. Kululu knows about the same cosmic crap as I do, why didn't he tell that idiot about the Horide trees special ability?"

"He went with Saburo on their family vacation this week. They won't be back until next Monday."

Her words seemed sad and Giroro knew why, but at least that explained the absence of the yellow creep.

"Well…let's see if we can restore some order to this mess."

He popped out of his tent and followed her to the scene of chaos indoors. Keroro, Tamama, Mois, and Fuyuki were draped over various pieces of furniture in the living room. To the casual glance they seemed normal.

* * *

**(As normal as aliens and a prepubescent boy can be anyway.)**

However, Giroro immediately noticed that none of them realized his and Natsumi's presence until she spoke up.

"Alright guys, listen up. I'm going to help you all into the kitchen for some breakfast. If you need to use the restroom Giroro or I will help you get to it. Fuyuki, Mois, don't worry about changing clothes. You two can't go anywhere without your eyesight anyway, so I'll phone our school and let them know Fuyuki's sick and staying home."

She looked down at her stalwart red partner, "Giroro…can you contact Dororo and have him ask Koyuki to pick up our homework?"

"Sure, it shouldn't be too hard. He's always showing up for meetings. How does Kululu contact him Keroro?"

"Ke-kero," the poor sergeant sounded rather despondent, "The blue transponder in the main base should do the trick."

Giroro turned and made for the stairs to the basement hideout and Natsumi herded the group of eyesight depraved individuals into the kitchen and seated them at the table.

"Natsumi…can we eat breakfast now?" Tamama twiddled his digits anxiously, "Cause the last time I ate was hours ago and my tummy has a rumble."

His stomach growled in affirmation.

Natsumi couldn't help, but grin at him. Everyone had been so panicked last night that sleep had been slow in coming for all of them. Her mom had managed to successfully calm everyone down and get them into bed. But because of deadlines at work she was unable to stay home. So, it fell to Natsumi and now Giroro to take care of the eye stricken individuals.

"Sure thing Tamama, I'll make us all some breakfast."

Natsumi wasn't exactly sure what would be the best breakfast for blind people, but she supposed anything that involved a fork was out. Cereal seemed pretty easy, so she busied herself with setting out bowls and digging cereal boxes out of the pantry.

"Kerokerokero…"

The green ones sudden laughter seemed to put Natsumi into instant bad mood.

"What are you laughing about Fridiot?"

Keroro continued to chuckle deviously, "Well Natsumi, usually I'm the one taking care of all the chores…but since you blinded us with your stupid branch ball, you now have to take on all the chores alone."

"Watch what you say stupid frog or it won't just be your eyes that are broken!"

"You'd better be nice Keroro, she sounds pretty unhappy."

The green keronian was undeterred by Fuyuki's warning, "Poor Natsumi and today was laundry day! You'll have to wash, dry, hang, and fold all by your poor lonesome self, poor poor Nat…"

That was as far as he got…a blue transponder biffed him smack on his round green face, knocking him out of his chair and onto the floor.

"OW! Natsumi you'd dare hurt an invalid?"

"Tsk…she wouldn't, but I'm not so picky."

Giroro stood in the doorway holding the second half of the transponder he had just thrown.

"It's your own fault for not researching the Horai ball before using it…Natsumi shouldn't be the one paying for what you did to yourself."

"Well Corporal…those clothes aren't going to wash themselves. Why don't you help Natsumi, goodness knows your relations…"

The other half of the transponder knocked him out cold.

" ?"

"Keroro?"

"Uncle?"

Natsumi grinned at Giroro, who was nonchalantly retrieving the battered equipment and the battered sergeant.

"Uh…He's fine guys, I think all the excitement last night made him too sleepy for breakfast.

She watched as her red defender dragged his commanding officer back into the living room. He may have inflicted the bodily harm, but at least he was making sure Keroro would wake up comfortably.

**(Though with multiple head wounds and a mild concussion.)**

* * *

Natsumi turned back to the task at hand. After all, everyone else deserved breakfast even if Keroro didn't. She poured cereal and milk into bowls for the three remaining friends. Marshmallow munchies for sugar happy Tamama, UFOs (Unique fruit ovals) for Fuyuki, and Sweet Saps for Mois.

Giroro returned from the living room, dusting his hands together in a businesslike manner.

"Right, now that everyone's situated I'll get the laundry going."

"Wait Giroro! Don't you want some breakfast too?"

"Grmphsnachglp…yeah, these marshmallow munchies are even good soggy!"

"Tamama, don't eat with your face!That spoon I handed you wasn't for decoration!" Natsumi fumed. The little tadpole had marshmallows stuck to his nose.

"But it's fun!"

Fuyuki and Mois both started laughing and despite herself Natsumi grinned.

"It's probably easier than using a spoon, sis."

"Huh…well as long as he doesn't get it everywhere I suppose it's okay," she turned her eyes to the only one in the room that could meet them, "but seriously Giroro, you don't want anything to eat?"

The red warrior shrugged, "Breakfast isn't necessary, I usually only have a cup of coffee or tea in the morning."

"Well, I'll start some tea for us then."

Before he could object, she was up and putting the water on to boil.

"That's really not necessary."

"Yes it is…you need something in your belly if you want to start the day right."

"But Natsumi…"

"No buts, Giroro."

Mois leaned over to Fuyuki, "They sound like an old married couple."

They both chuckled and earned a glare from the red corporal and his partner.

Giroro huffed, Natsumi looked plain indignant, and both were feverishly glad of the blind predicament of the other occupants of the Hinata house.

**(That's because they're both blushing really badly.)**

"Uh…anyway," Natsumi managed to stammer, "Once you guys finish up with breakfast we'll get you back to the living room. I've got some books on tape and music you guys can listen to that should help the boredom level some."

This suggestion was greeted with enthusiasm and the rest of breakfast was eaten mostly in silence, with only an occasional gurgle-slurp from Tamama.

Natsumi cleared the table and finished making the tea, while Giroro escorted each of the blind individuals back out into the living room. The trio then began a heated discussion over what they would listen to first.

Giroro returned to the kitchen to find a steaming mug of hot tea waiting for him on the table. He sat down and took a sip of the steaming fragrant liquid. Unsweetened…she had remembered his skepticism of sugary sweets.

"Well, thanks for the tea. Its delicious and I suppose you might possibly be right about starting the day with something in your stomach."

"I'm glad you admit I'm right about breakfast…and that you like the tea."

He looked happily down into his cup and swished it thoughtfully.

"Well…choosing what to listen to should take them awhile. Do you need help with the dishes?"

She pulled up a chair and set her own mug next to his, "We can do those later…I really wanted to ask you a question."

Giroro's heart sped up considerably…

"Were you able to contact Dororo?" she smirked, "before you broke the communicator over that stupid toads head."

He sighed internally. _No romantic confession there…_

"Yeah…he said he'd contact Koyuki immediately. She'll probably swing by this evening with your homework, I also told him to have her tell your teachers that you were both feeling unwell. Not too far from the truth I think."

Natsumi smiled softly at him, "Thanks Red, I totally forgot about calling in."

How he loved it when she called him that. Her eyes on him were so soft and gentle…_blood, violence, death, kill._

Giroro closed his eyes and squelched his desire to close the distance between them, but he couldn't suppress the crinkling corners of his eyes.

"Heheh…It was no big deal, I figured you had enough going on as is."

She sighed, "Yeah, I hope they all get their eyesight back soon…I swear I'm gonna make Keroro do all my chores for the next month!"

"Well, I can at least help you with them while he's out of action."

She reached over and squeezed his hand.

_Blood, violence, death, kill, blood violence, death, kill…_

"Thanks again in advance, chores can be a beast and I have others to finish besides the laundry."

She removed her hand much to his equal relief and chagrin.

"Your face is a little red; Giroro…is the tea too hot?"

The very red corporal took a hasty swig from his mug.

"Ah…it's a little warm, yeah."

She put a cool hand on his cheek.

"Well, as long as it's just the tea. I can't have my partner getting sick on me."

_Blood, violence, death, kill…I am __**so**__ froggin lovesick._

She removed her cool digits from his warm cheek and cupped her tea mug in both hands.

And teatime was then finished in a silence Natsumi felt was comfortable.

**(For Giroro it was more comfortable when his face stopped burning.)**

* * *

He helped Natsumi to clean the dishes and the two of them scrubbed, rinsed, and dried in the same quiet camaraderie. Once the dishes were finished and put away they started on the laundry loading the washing machine in relative silence. The blind folks had finally decided on a listening number and were for the moment content.

Giroro tossed the last few items in, as Natsumi poured the detergent and he measured out the fabric softener. Their hands brushed and Giroro was worried it would be like the tea incident all over again.

_I wish I could tell her what I truly think of her, what the purpose of all those presents really was, but I'm a soldier…not a lover. I'm here to take over her planet, not become a defender of it. I can't let myself go native like Dororo, command would only swoop in like a hawk and destroy everything I…_

He opened his eyes to find Natsumi staring at him curiously.

"Uh…Giroro, I think the clothes will be soft enough."

The fabric softener was definitely overflowing, rolling over his hand into the washer in a noisy torrent. He stopped pouring and dumped the rest of the liquid back into the container.

Natsumi chuckled and fished a washcloth out of the swirling water for him.

"Here let me wipe your hand off."

He practically snatched the rag from her outstretched hand.

"Uhno…it was my fault, I'll clean myself up."

She shrugged, "Okay tough guy…actually, I've been wondering if I could ask you another question."

He swiped his hand clean and tossed the rag back into the water.

"Sure."

Natsumi sat down on the ground and leaned back against the cool, rumbling machine.

"Will you tell me about the second gift you got me…the cosmic fire mouse pelt?"

Giroro considered sitting on the ground, but opted instead to settle on the stool next to her. Their faces were more or less even at this level and he'd rather look straight at her than up.

"I suppose I could."

Natsumi smiled, "Can it do anything that could potentially harm someone?"

He shrugged, "Not after its dead, no."

She looked over at him and quite suddenly remembered that one of his hands had been burned.

"Was it actually on fire when you caught it?"

"Shot it," he corrected, "and yes it was."

"Oh."

He closed his eyes in memory, "The pesky little beast gave me an awful fight; they behave more like galactic rats when you corner them. The fire mice are known for their ferocity and their fur. Their pelt retains incredible warmth even after the mouse has died. It has something to do with the fire of their soul being trapped in the hair before death, or some other nonsense."

Natsumi looked at the closed eye corporal questioningly, "Are they rare?"

Giroro shrugged, "Not really, just hard to kill. The fire they emit can burn through most conventional methods of weaponry. Kululu made me a special bullet to take care of the one I shot."

"I see, why did you want to catch it for me?"

"For warmth of course, you pekoponians love curling up under warm things in the winter and I thought it would make a perfect scarf or hand warmer or whatever…"

**(He may never tell her it's to keep her warm in a way he cannot.)**

BEEP!

Giroro was so engrossed in his storytelling that the resounding shriek of the washer finishing its cycle startled him off his stool.

He fell with a thump.

Right into Natsumi's lap.

**(What will happen now? Will Giroro get slapped silly? Will Natsumi realize his love for her? Will this Narrators voice ever be heard? And is the Author ever going to remember the disclaimer? Tune in next time for Giroro and Natsumi present: Black hole Begging pot Blues.)**

* * *

So…What do you all think?

Mean, huh…kukuku.

I am actually going to do the disclaimer right now. I do not own the magic that is Sgt. Frog. If I did Giroro and Natsumi would be canon shipping.

I wanted to post this fluffy chapter for Giroro's birthday, it would have been longer…but I needed sleep. ZzZzZz…I wrote 9 pages in a day…I think it's a new record for me.

* * *

Any flames will be read, laughed at, maliciously torn asunder, thrown into the air, and then vacuumed up by Keroro.

Y'all are going to have to wait to find out what happens.

However...Reviews _(which are the very lifeblood and motivation of fanfiction authors everywhere!) _will result in another chapter in a ridiculously short period of time so…

If it pleases you, Review!


	3. Black hole Begging pot Blues

And were Back!

Hello again Dear Readers! This chapter would not have been written without your sweet support. That and the 4 cups of coffee I downed while writing it. Heh, can anyone say addicted?

Seriously though, I wouldn't write this without the great reviews all of you have posted. Your kind words are like sunshine on a rainy day. So Thank you….

I won't be updating this weekend, due to a road trip I will be taking, but please feel free to drop me a note. I will have my phone on me and I can reply to reviews using it, I just don't have my dream tablet (Asus Infinity w/ Keyboard dock) for remote typing while traveling. Just a silly little laptop that loves to die if unplugged. Sigh.

I have finished this chapter and its dedicated to all of you who have dropped a line and encouraged me to write it.

**Narrator**

_Thoughts_

Speech

Giroro and Natsumi present: Black hole Begging pot Blues.

* * *

**(Last I checked the author left us on a mild cliff-hanger…isn't she sweet? Giroro had just plunked into Natsumi's lap or something like that.)**

Plunked indeed.

Giroro scrambled madly to get off Natsumi. His face burned and his head had exploded like a firecracker on the fourth of July.

"I….guh…I'm so Sorry, Natsumi!"

He was expecting her to slap or berate him, but to his surprise (and secret delight) she didn't freak out or call him an idiot.

"It was an accident Giroro, you don't need to apologize."

He managed to regain some of his composure.

**(And none of his dignity.)**

"Tsk…I was taken off guard this once. It won't happen again"

Natsumi grinned at him.

"The machine surprised me too."

He fought his rising blush down and stood to his feet.

"Anyway, let's get these hung up."

The two of them loaded the wet laundry into a basket and headed outside. Giroro climbed onto the stool he had brought out and handed Natsumi the first piece of clothing. Their fingers brushed and the red corporal found peace in his soothing mantra…as he handed her another article when she had finished the first. The birds chirped, the wind blew, and despite himself Corporal Giroro found he really liked doing the laundry…. It was almost as good as polishing and reloading his weapons.

**(I think it's just the company he really likes.)**

"So…Giroro."

"Yeah, Natsumi?"

She pinned the latest shirt into place on the line and looked down at him.

"I'm kinda sorry to say I gave that third present you got me to Dororo and Koyuki. They were having trouble finding a pot worthy of being cooked in over an open flame and since I didn't need the begging one you got me I figured I would let them have it."

She finished her last words in a bit of a rush and looked at him a little sadly.

"Does that make you upset with me?"

He gave her that charming closed eye crinkle smile. _Wait, since when did I find his smile so appealing?_

**(Probably since you've paid more attention to it.)**

"Nope." _It will take a lot more than a generous spirit to get me upset with you._

She sighed in a relieved sort of way and took the next shirt he handed her.

"Whew…I was worried you'd be angry, would you still tell me the abilities of the begging pot?"

Giroro shrugged, "The black hole begging pot doesn't have any secret abilities, it wasn't even the most difficult to find. I just had to bargain with the shrewdest old warp witch this side of the universe."

"Warp witch?"

"The same lady I killed the space Cerberus for."

"Oh."

She recalled her near death experience, caused by the poison Keroro had asked their resident evil genius to concoct. Giroro had risked his life battling one of the universes most savage regenerative creatures to get the liver of it and save her. She looked down at him again as he reached into the basket for another article of clothing.

_Why do you go through so much pain for me…why do you always endure suffering without complaint?_

He looked up to hand her the next pair of pants and caught her thoughtful gaze.

He held her eyes in a seemingly indifferent manner and she took a moment to study the color of his, gray-blue and cool in his red face which glowed like a hot ember.

_Is he blushing? Or is it just the sun?_

She took the proffered pair of pants from his hand and pinned it on the line.

_bloodviolencedeathkill…_

"What's up Giroro?"

He had been too busy furiously chanting his mantra to notice her waiting for the next piece of clothing.

_I seriously need to come up with a better way of not turning radioactive every time she looks at me that way._

"Ugh…I was just trying to think of the best way to tell you how I got that pot."

Her face fell, "Did it hurt?"

He was caught off guard by the question.

"What?"

"You came back so torn up…the black grimes, ferocious fire mice. I'm just wondering what else managed to get it's teeth into you."

Her distress for him warmed his heart to boiling and it showed on his face again.

He tried to shorten the story, "I got a real bargain for the pot with the warp witch."

"Which was?"

"Umm…., "_well that was a fail_, "I might have had to kill six barbedtoothspacesnakes for it."

The red corporal knew she really wasn't going to like the rest of the stories if she thought this was bad.

"You had to kill what!"

He sighed.

"Barbed-tooth space snakes…they run about ten feet long, no venom, but they sport barbed teeth that slice like knives."

The warrior touched his side in memory and Natsumi remembered seeing the rips in his flesh, too ragged to be done by a conventional weapon.

"Only one managed to bite me…since I am cold-blooded and the space snakes are more or less like heat seeking missiles, I was able to avoid detection by five of them. The last one got the drop on me though."

_And sliced his side to ribbons with one bite._

Natsumi could feel tears welling up in her eyes, so when he handed the next shirt up she buried her face in the wet fabric, breathing in the rich damp smell. It was the scent of calm and she used it to squelch the strange emotion that surged through her heart.

**(Oh dear…Natsumi is squelching things too now. Wonder what it was?)**

* * *

Giroro looked on with concern. Something strange emanated off her in waves and he had never felt this kind of an aura surrounding his favorite human. Anger, definitely. Embarrassment, constantly. Concern, often, but this one was new. At least to him…

"It's okay, Natsumi…it'll take a lot more than a couple of snakes to take me down."

She took her face from the shirt and looked down at him, smiling; although it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Thanks again Giroro, you really didn't need to go through all of that for me."

He shrugged, "That was my decision to make. I was just following my list from the story of Kaguya."

She pinned the shirt in place on the line and looked at him.

"What's the story about?"

Giroro suddenly paled…_why in frogs name did I mention that?_

"ugh…kn…I," he could feel the familiar burn beginning in his cheeks, "I don't really remember, besides fairytales aren't for soldiers. The gifts are extremely practical for battle."

He seriously doubted the battle practicality of a heavy begging pot, but he was not going to tell her the story of Kaguya.

"Oh."

She sounded disappointed.

**(You all remember the authors note on the tale of the woodcutter…it's actually about a space princess named Kaguya…Oh, and a marriage proposal.)**

* * *

"Yeah…anyway, the pot is just a vintage black hole begging pot. They are a rare collector's item, only about ten of them still exist."

Natsumi suddenly giggled and Giroro's heart rejoiced at the sound.

"Heh…one of the rarest pots in the whole universe and Koyuki is cooking stew in it."

She looked at Giroro, still laughing and was gratified to hear him chuckling softly with her.

"Heh…indeed."

He handed her the last pair of socks and watched her pin them firmly to the line.

"Well, that's it for the laundry…I've got to go check up on our blind bunch and see if they need anything."

Giroro hopped down from the stool and picked up the empty laundry basket.

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna take this inside and then polish my guns. I haven't reloaded a few of the ones in my trans-dimensional storage locker either…so I need to make sure that gets done."

Natsumi grinned down at him, "Ever the soldier, eh, Red?"

_Blood violence death kill…why does she have to smile at me like that, I just got calmed down!_

He was too focused on not blushing to realize she had stooped down next to him…and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

The basket dropped from senseless fingers and every last cell in his body ignited when he realized Natsumi was hugging him.

She pulled him close, her breath ghosting across his ear.

"Thank you."

Releasing him, Natsumi stood and walked away without another word, leaving behind one Corporal Giroro who had definitely gone radioactive again.

And passed out where he stood.

Natsumi however had hurried into the house where she found out that the unfortunates were regaining some of their sight. Because the first thing Fuyuki had said to her was…

"Geez Sis…what happened to your face?"

**(Apparently, Giroro is not the only who glows radioactively when he blushes.)**

"I..uh…You can see?"

Fuyuki smiled, "Well, not extremely much…but some of its started to come back. What were you doing to Giroro?"

"I…uh…" _What was I doing?_

"I was thanking him for his help with the laundry."

It was a lame excuse, but Fuyuki bought it. Apparently, his eyesight was returning first since he had been facing away from the Horai ball, when the tragedy had occurred.

Thank goodness none of the others had seen her…hug Giroro. Her face burned like fire.

Sure it was just a hug, but why had she felt such a compelling need to give him one?

_He…he's always been there for me, risking his life on some adventure. I just feel like I haven't given him enough thanks for it._

Her revere was disturbed by Tamama.

"Hey Natsumi, could you take me to the bathroom?"

His face was scrunched in on itself as he promptly proclaimed the reason, "I gotta do number two."

Oh crap…

**(Literally.)**

Natsumi was suddenly glad they had extra air fresheners in the bathroom.

"Okay Tamama, just give me your hand."

She guided him to the nearest restroom and left him to do his business, while she circled back to check on the others.

Fuyuki had gotten his hands on a book and was attempting to read, Mois was asleep, and Keroro was drooling where Giroro had left him.

Well, at least they all seemed content.

She was startled to hear a knock on the front door.

* * *

Racing to it she spotted the familiar sight of Koyuki's face peering in. Surprised to see her so early in the day Natsumi opened the door and gave her closest girlfriend a hug.

"Koyuki! What brings you here this early?"

The ninja girl shrugged, "I had some stuff to do with D after school, so I thought I'd swing by during lunch to drop off you and Fuyuki's homework."

She grinned and held out a plastic sack filled with school items, "Thankfully there isn't much. I guess its 'cause of all the tests our teachers made us take last week."

Natsumi took the sack from her outstretched hands, "Thank you so much Koyuki."

"No biggie," the girl ninja smiled, "How's everyone doing?"

"Well, Fuyuki has gotten some of his vision back, but the others haven't been so lucky."

"Oh…I see."

**(The one time Koyuki actually makes a funny and she doesn't even realize it.)**

"Yeah, well…I think just over a day and most of their vision should come back. Do you wanna stay for some lunch?"

"Sure! What are we having?"

"Uh…" Natsumi's thoughts were still a bit confuddled, "I think sandwiches would be pretty quick and easy."

"Okey dokey…I'll help you make them."

Natsumi set the sack down by the door and led the way to the kitchen.

They scrounged in the fridge and dug out turkey, some slightly shriveled lettuce, cheese, mayo, and a package of pre-cooked bacon.

Setting the items on the counter they proceeded to make an impressive stack of turkey sandwiches.

"Natsumi," Koyuki's voice was slightly pensive, as she spread mayo on the bread slices.

"What is it Koyuki?"

"What do you do when you think you're in love with someone, but don't know how to tell them?"

Natsumi paused mid-lettuce placement.

"You know…I'm really not the best person to ask that question."

**(You really shouldn't ask Giroro either.)**

She glanced over at her friend, "Why? Are you crushing on some guy at school?" Her thoughts instantly went to Saburo and the easy way the two of them had seemed to have with each other.

"Oh…well, he is a guy, but…at the same time he's not."

Natsumi was rather confused by this.

"Wait how does that even work?"

Koyuki blushed as she finished the last slice of bread and went to work on putting turkey slices on the sandwiches.

"Its…um…its Dororo."

Natsumi was dumbfounded, "You're in love with one of the frogs?"

**(She seems to have forgotten she just hugged one of them.)**

"Well, yeah."

"You do realize they are trying to take over our planet."

"Not Dororo," Koyuki defended, "He loves earth as much as I do…and he is doing everything in his power to keep its beauty preserved and protected!"

Natsumi put her hands up and waved the lettuce leaf she was holding in surrender.

"Okay, so maybe Dororo isn't like the others. He's still not even the same species as you."

Koyuki shrugged, "D's my best friend and besides," she giggled, "he's really cute."

For some reason, Natsumi thought of Giroro and his subtle smile and it suddenly pained her that he was still bent on world domination

"Well…I guess if you really feel that way you should tell him."

Koyuki's face fell, "What if he doesn't feel the same?"

Natsumi finally stuck the abused piece of greenery onto one of the sandwiches and patted her friends shoulder.

"There's always that risk, but you'll never know unless you ask."

The ninja girl sighed, "I guess you're right."

They finished the sandwiches…just as Tamama finished his business in the bathroom.

He managed to make it to the living room without tripping on, or crashing into anything. Though he did forget to flush…

Natsumi said goodbye to Koyuki and sent her off back to school with a sandwich. Only a ninja could've made the trip quickly enough.

She then set the sandwiches out with some juice and chips for Fuyuki and Tamama (since the others were happily, at least in Mois case, resting.)

She grabbed a sandwich for herself and settled down on the couch next to Fuyuki to do her homework.

Or at least try…her thoughts were still spinning around a certain red keronian.

Who was still passed out in the backyard.

**(Wow…this is getting exciting. Has Natsumi begun to see Giroro in a new light? How will things go with Koyuki and Dororo? Will the smell ever clear out of the bathroom? And is Giroro ever going to wake up from his hug-coma? Tune in next time for, Giroro and Natsumi present: Just Five-Colored Dragon Jaw Doom.**

* * *

Yay!Another Chapter Done! We finally get to that cool space dragon jaw…I would have paid to see the battle Giroro fought for that particular piece.

I really only intended to have 5 chapters for this tale…one for each gift, but we will have to see if it goes any farther.

Hmmm….Giroro almost had himself a kiss in their little moment, but then I made him wait!Mwhuahuahua! I felt that it would've been moving too quickly if he had gotten one. Natsumi has only just started to figure out this guy and she has given him a whole lot of hugs (more than that guy with the cool pen, I might add) so a hug didn't feel out of place.

Whew…maybe a little ooc around Natsumi, but that girl needs to realize he loves her at some point in time. I refuse to let her be clueless forever! She's smarter than that.

I'm thinking Momoka will storm into the next chapter. Whether I want her to or not…

Lol, I will also try to include some other characters speaking in the next chappie…I was too lazy to think of any good dialogue for them this time around.

* * *

I don't own Sgt. Frog. Though…I really wish I did.

All flames will be laughed at and then have their butts kicked by the Ninja Art Demon Form of Dororo.

But As Always,

If it Pleases you, Review! They Rock my Socks =D and Dororo will give you a bouquet and not buttkick.


	4. Just FiveColored Dragon Jaw Doom

Hello Friends!

I just finished this next installment of Birthday Bash Bewilderment. Thanks for the reviews! This next chapter is the longest yet, so please bear with me. This is one of the few action sequences I've ever written and it's a little violent…I'm still learning battle techniques. This chapter isn't as funny as the others, so laugh while you can :)

**Narrator**

_Thoughts_

Speech

Giroro and Natsumi present: Just Five-Colored Dragon Jaw Doom

* * *

**(Well, here we go.)**

Giroro awoke to the soft press of a paw against his cheek.

Ms. Furbottom was sitting anxiously next to him her glossy eyes round in mild distress.

He sat up suddenly next to the empty clothes basket, remembering the feeling of Natsumi wrapping her slim arms around him and holding him close.

_Did that actually happen?_

**(Yep…about 2 hours ago.)**

He shook his head to clear it.

He needed to get those weapons ready for action. You never know when someone might try yoo kill you. Ms. Furbottom watched as he picked up the basket and carried it back to the laundry room. He came back with a clean cloth and shooed the little white kitty away. With a stern mental command Giroro then drew his four trans-dimesional weapon lockers to earth.

There were things to be done.

* * *

Natsumi had finished her homework and was fixing dinner when the door blasted open.

"Where is Fuyuki!"

A rather irate Momoka had just let herself in.

Fuyuki who had recovered most of his sight and was now, reluctantly, working on his homework hailed her from the living room.

"In here Momoka."

She stomped in and was promptly hugged by Tamama.

"Momoka!"

The black tadpole was almost squished as Momoka rushed to Fuyuki's side.

"Oh Fuyuki!I was so worried!When you didn't show up to school…"Momoka paused tearfully, "I thought you died!"

She flung her arms around the surprised preteen who sweat-dropped and gave her shoulder a comforting pat.

"Ummm…it was just one day Momoka, I'm fine. We just had a little accident with Sarge's party last night."

The sweet concern vanished from Momoka's face.

"That frog?"

Said frog was still groggily drooling on the couch, but knowing Giroro (and his rather good throwing arm) that's not too surprising.

Momoka advanced on the incumbent with a deadly red glow in her eyes.

Fuyuki paled, "Uh, Momoka it wasn't his fault."

The rage switch had flipped, and she advanced with deadly intent.

Tamama managed to stop her by throwing his little black arms around her leg and holding on for dear life.

"NOOOO….Don't hurt my Sergeant!"

Thus ensued a scene of chaos with Momoka doing the angry dance and trying to shake Tamama off of her leg.

In the chaos, Mois sat up, yawned, and stretched. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, she blinked and smiled.

"Well hello Momoka."

This stopped the hullaballoo almost instantly as the sweet side of her bipolar friend took over.

"Hey Mois! I didn't see you there. Did you get sick too?"

"Not really," chirped Mois, "but I did get a great nap in."

The two girls made small talk and Tamama, realizing Keroro was out of immediate danger, let go of Momoka's leg.

He glanced up at Fuyuki.

"I don't envy you sir…not one little bit."

Fuyuki tilted his head to the side, "Envy me what?"

Tamama pointed to his human partner.

"That."

* * *

Natsumi had heard the crash and resulting chaos, but since the others had regained their vision she decided to let it resolve itself.

Her mind was too occupied with making dinner and a keronian corporal.

* * *

The red Corporal being thought of had been busy. Over the course of the evening he had polished and reloaded the seven super blasters, two hand cannons, and three of his rocket launchers. This was followed by his usual workout regime (nothing gets the blood flowing like exercising) and after hosing off he settled into his tent for some light reading. Ms. Furbottom, came back from her wanderings and settled next to him, purring happily, when he absently reached over to stroke her fluffy coat.

"Bet your pretty warm in this fluff cat."

Her only response was to purr louder. Giroro suspected that she was probably used to being warm.

He looked out the tent flap, to the lights shining out of the windows and listened to the chatter and laughter of the Hinata's at dinner.

His own dinner was steaming in the fire pit, but for the first time he wondered what it would be like to sit with everyone for a meal. He wasn't much good at conversation and truth be told he was more of a loner than the rest of the platoon. Still, a part of him wanted to experience what it was like to have a family without aspiration to perfection. His own family life had been too focused on military matters to be concerned with happy time spent as a family.

He turned his gaze back to the battle tactics pamphlet and read on.

* * *

Momoka and Tamama left after dinner, saying both hello and goodbye to Aki Hinata who pulled up just as they left.

Fuyuki had offered to do the dishes, so Natsumi greeted her Mom from her room when Aki ascended the steps.

"Hey Mom."

"Hi Sweetie, did everything go okay today?"

Natsumi rolled onto her stomach and casually flipped the page in the magazine she was reading.

"Yeah, everyone's recovered their eyesight. I texted you once Keroro woke up and he was the last one to get better."

"Good, well, just make sure everyone stays out of trouble tomorrow."

"I will mom…goodnight."

"Goodnight sweetheart."

And so night fell on the Hinata household, without any of them realizing the danger they would face on the morrow.

Without seeing the eyes that watched them from the stars.

**(Well, at least this story is finally going to get some action.)**

* * *

Natsumi was dreaming fitfully.

She had gone back to sleep after saying goodbye to her mother earlier that morning, but now her once beautiful dream was being rained on. She could almost feel the liquid drops as they rained down on her face. Groggily she opened her eyes. Only to stare into the gaping dripping maw of a space dragon that had pushed its head through her window screen.

Her mouth went dry as the dragon stared down its snout at her, drooling proficiently. Its wedge shaped head was half covered with strange bone armor, as was what she could see of its body. Bone stacked on flesh, living and dead, eyes locked on her. The space dragon arced its neck with a rippling creak of bone.

Then it screamed.

Natsumi screamed with it.

* * *

Giroro awoke to her cry.

He rolled out of his tent in time to see the five-colored colored beast ripping a chunk out of the Hinata's house like it was made of paper. Its head was shoved through Natsumi's window and Giroro felt his heart stop as the creature undulated its curving, clacking body and pulled itself from the window.

His partner was clenched by the cloth of her nightclothes in its jaws.

Giroro summoned the wings he wore for aerial combat, strapping them on without taking his eyes off of the beast.

_I should have killed it…_

The dragon snarled closed-mouth at him and Giroro realized that Natsumi wouldn't survive if the creature decided to shift its hold.

Glorious five-colored wings, rampant blue, green, yellow, teal, and purple opened with a snap the colors dancing in the morning light.

Ready for flight it stared at Giroro, mockingly. It could kill the girl in a bite…

_Why isn't it killing her?_

The dragon wanted something. Something it thought he had. Nobody ever accused the creatures of being stupid. Its bone armor clacked…

Giroro suddenly realized what the beast wanted.

He barely had time to summon his tracker launcher and fire as the beast threw itself abruptly into the air.

Giroro extended his own wings and responding to his mental command they lifted him, not in pursuit, but into Natsumi's open window.

He gazed around the mess in distress. Dragon drool, sheets, and papers had been flung everywhere.

Fuyuki tumbled though the door just in time to see Giroro darting into his sister's closet.

"Giroro?" He cast bewildered eyes around his sisters wrecked room, "What happened in here?"

"Space dragon," came the muffled reply, "It took Natsumi."

"A space dragon! Took Natsumi, why?"

"Because I took its most precious treasure,"

Giroro emerged from the closet holding in his hands the source of the problem.

"and not its life."

In his hands was the jaw bone he had presented to Natsumi.

Fuyuki paled at the look on Giroro's face.

"Will it kill her?"

"Yes, even if I return this. I'm just hoping I can distract it long enough so that she can escape."

He turned and headed to the window.

"Wait, let's get Sarge and Mois!I'm sure they'll want to help!"

Giroro stood on the windows edge.

"There's no time Fuyuki. Once it finds a safe place it will torture her…then kill her."

He spread his wings and leapt into the air.

_I will die before that happens…_

Fuyuki could only watch as the red corporal became nothing more than a speck on the horizon.

* * *

**(Meanwhile with the damsel in distress and the vicious five-colored space dragon…)**

Natsumi awoke to a situation more frightening than any she had ever faced in her life. She was dangling high above earth in the jowls of a dragon. The wind bit her face and beasts pumping wings made its head jerk and bob with her added weight. She didn't dare struggle for fear the creature would drop her.

She put her hands to her throat and struggled to pull away the constricting collar of her pajamas, desperate for a breath.

The beast felt her wiggling and swerved, folding its wings and plummeting toward the earth like a stone.

It crashed into the tree cover and Natsumi could feel the leaves and branches snapping against her.

They hit the ground with a thud in what had to be the most ungraceful landing Natsumi had ever experienced.

The beast flapped and fanned its wings before snapping them close with a rattle. It peered up into the sky then released her from its maw.

Natsumi tumbled to earth.

Luckily the dragon hadn't dropped her too far, but she still lay stunned and gasping for breath.

The beast settled onto its haunches and reached out with its claws to flip her over.

It brought its stinking mouth close to her and to her shock, spoke.

"Humanssss…you think you can sssteal from a ssspace dragon?"

Its voice was a sibilant hiss.

Natsumi's voice didn't shake as she stared death in the face, brave spirit rising in the face of doom.

"I didn't steal anything from you, let me go!"

The beast chuckled; it was not a pleasant sound.

"Sss…Your red lover ssstole from me."

Natsumi was confused by the beasts phrasing.

_Lover? Red? _

"What do you mean by lover?"

The beast snarled, "In my thouSssand yearSss I have Ssslain dozensss of loverSss all fighting for the Sssame thing," the dragon slavered maniacally, "my preciouSss jawboneSss."

"Sss…it all Ssstarted with that dratted princeSss Kaguya."

Natsumi's mind clicked as she remembered the story Giroro had avoided telling her.

"Ssshe promised to marry the one who could bring her one of our jawboneSss."

Natsumi's mind reeled with questions and she staggered shakily to her feet. The space dragon promptly knocked her back down, bringing its face close to hers in a slobbering, clacking grimace.

"Be Ssstill and know the Ssstory of your fooliSssh lover," it chuckled evilly, "SssNot that you even knew the breadth of hiSss devotion, human. The red frogSss puniSsshment will be your death."

It threw back its head and screamed triumphantly. Natsumi covered her ears in a vain attempt to block out the noise.

The beast then dropped over her on all fours, bringing its head close to her again.

"I can read the mindSss of my oppreSssors. YourSss waSss the moSsst intereSssting of them, for hiSss love waSss unrequited. However, for you he fought harder than thoSsse whoSss love waSss returned. In one thouSssand yearSss, he waSss the firSsst to defeat me.

The dragon snarled and drool spattered her face.

"SssBut the fool…left me alive."

_Not for long…_

* * *

The beast whipped its head up at the mental statement; Giroro shot out of the sky, his wings a blur of speed as he used them to accelerate his drop.

He crushed the beasts head into the ground narrowly missing Natsumi who threw her arms up in defense.

Giroro grabbed her and with a fluttering of wings sent the two of them skyward.

Floundering below them, the dragon freed its head from the mire and screamed incoherent outrage.

Natsumi clung to Giroro, whose wings sputtered as they tried to maintain the weight of two passengers. He circled frantically, searching for the best possible battle position on the ground. The space dragon would easily overtake them in the air. He spotted a narrow rocky ravine and the wings folded in response to his command. They dropped into the shadows, just as the dragon burst out of the trees.

Giroro set Natsumi down, landed, and stripped off his wings.

"Here, take this. I'll distract him while you fly for home."

"Giroro."

Her voice was so soft as she took the wings that Giroro didn't hear her.

"Don't argue. If I had the armor with me I would allow you to stay, but I don't."

"Giroro."

He looked up at her.

"He said you loved me."

Giroro froze. His heart so used to the adrenaline of battle and unused to emotion started thumping painfully in his chest.

"Natsumi, I…there's no time."

Her eyes were gentle as she kneeled by him.

It all made sense. The gifts, the countless times he fought on her behalf, the sacrifices he made for her. The ultimate sacrifice he was willing to make.

_Giroro is in love with me..._

**(Finally! She gets it! It only took years and a space dragon.)**

"Giroro, I need…"

She was cut off as a monstrous head snaked into the crevice.

The beast was beyond words. It flung spittle as it wriggled into the rocky crack, groping with one claw for them.

Giroro opened fire, sending ballistic missiles smoking into the space dragon, attempting to stop its downward slash.

"Run Natsumi!"

She was frozen, staring at the creature. It swung its curving, double claws, just as Giroro leaped for her.

* * *

Blood ran.

But it wasn't Natsumi's.

The beast cackled in glee. Mirth helped it regain its sibilant dripping voice.

"FooliSssh Frog, why do you Ssstrive to Sssave Sssuch ignorance?"

Blood ran down Giroro's side as he stood.

_Blood_

Natsumi groaned. At least she had the backpack strapped on tight.

_Violence_

He summoned his remote control for the backpack

_Death_

Death was something he would never let her face. _I'm sorry Natsumi…please live…_

_Kill_

If someone had to be killed it was not going to be her.

He hit the home button on the backpacks autopilot mentally thanking Kululu for upgrading the device.

The wings activated whisking Natsumi into the sky.

* * *

The dragon started and tried to withdraw its head from the ravine, but its struggles had wedged it completely into the rocky crevice.

Giroro summoned his machine guns and the dragons jawbone.

It stared at the bones and changed tactics.

"Sss…give me my boneSss, frog and I will leave thiSss place."

"Tsk…no chance," the red warrior stated, tossing the jawbones behind him.

His voice was deathly cold and his eyes burned like Hellfire.

"You threatened Natsumi."

The creature lunged.

And the forest echoed with the sounds of war.

**(Well, Cliffhanger! Natsumi has made an important discovery. Giroro is in peril. What's going to happen? Will Giroro die in bloody conflict? Will Natsumi survive her forced flight? Is this story going to have a happen ending? Find out in the finale: Trans-Dimesional Swallow Shell Truths!**

* * *

Whew…I am undecided.

I need some help making up my mind. Leave a review and tell me if the ending should be:

A.) Happy and Sappy =D

B.) Bittersweet and Blue D=

C.) Meh…Bit of both

Kululu will destroy the computer of anyone who leaves a flame, kukuku. Clickie poo…

Constructive Crit is welcome though. I do wish to improve, but senseless flaming is useless.

If it pleases you, leave a review (with your choice for SappyHappy or Bitterblue or Mehbitofboth)

I will tally them up and we shall see what happens. I vote Happysappy!

The voting will end Aug. 3, which is this Friday. What will it be guys?


	5. TransDimesional Swallow Shell Truths

Hello All, Crux here...

This is the last full-size chapter for Birthday Bash Bewilderment. Do to the closeness in the poll (Thanks all who participated!); I will be doing a sweetsappy sort of end with a healthy dash of seriousness. Confession, maybe, Closure, perhaps. Read and find out. =D

Thanks for your support Reviewers!Without you my motivation would have faltered! You made this story possible. =D

Without further ado…

**Narrator**

_Thoughts_

Speech

Giroro and Natsumi present: Trans-Dimensional Swallow Shell Truths

* * *

Natsumi awoke to voices.

"Is she okay?"

"There's blood on her pajamas."

"Kukuku…looks like she's coming round."

"Natsumi!"

_Giroro?_

His voice was absent.

Her eyes shot open as everything flooded back in a rush.

The space dragon, Giroro's intervention, the beast's words, and the fact that Giroro lov…

She struggled to stand and anxious hands pushed her back down.

Mois, Fuyuki, and Koyuki were beside her.

Keroro, Kululu, and Doro…wait why wasn't Kululu with Saburo?

**(Well, Dororo almost got noticed.)**

Natsumi's newly awoken mind hurt with all the information it was suddenly forced to process and she sat down with a bump.

"Why am I home…and where's Giroro?"

The little group didn't answer her and she then noticed the slant of the sun and the shadows of evening that were settling over the backyard.

She was sitting in the wreckage of Giroro's tent. The auto-piloted backpack had landed her square in the middle of it.

**(Don't blame the backpack though, it was just following orders.)**

Natsumi could feel the heavy weight of dread settling in her stomach. Dry-mouthed she asked them again, "Did he come home?"

The others looked at each other and then seemed to find random places to shift their gaze. Anywhere but on her…

"The corporal didn't make it back."

Natsumi felt her heart shudder.

"Didn't make it…"

Kululu was serious.

"His signal has either stopped transmitting or is too weak for us to track."

Natsumi crushed the fear in her heart, fierce determination rising to the forefront.

"Well, why did you stop looking for him? You don't know if it's stopped…even if it has stopped, we have to find him!"

"Natsumi…"

Keroro faced her, sorrowfully.

"If the signal has stopped so has his heart."

The determined fire in her spirit was dampened by the sudden tears in her eyes.

"He can't…did you…did you look for him?" _I only just figured him out…_

Kululu handed her a small red device with a yellow skull on it.

"This is a tracker. We each have a chip installed between our shoulder blades. They monitor our vitals and give this tracker a signal to find."

Natsumi cradled the silent red tracker in her palms. Unbidden tears flowed silently down her cheeks to drip on its still surface.

**(I think I need some tissues too…the author is all depressing.)**

"He can't be gone…"

Koyuki hung her head and sighed.

"Even D and I couldn't locate him with our ninja skills."

Dororo was too busy crying silent tears at the loss of his closest friend to add anything else.

Fuyuki and Mois were despondent.

Keroro was sad…but only for about 3 more seconds.

"Well, at least his love won't hold us back anymore. Without Giroro, may he rest in peace; our invasion plan is going to be a succ…"

Whap!

Natsumi brought down the little red tracker down on Keroro's head in a resounding smack.

The dangerous fire burning in her eyes made everyone sit up.

"Giroro is not dead. He's too much of warrior to be taken down by some dumb space dragon. He beat that beast before and I'm sure he's done it again. He needs our help now…and we are going to give him support!Kululu!"

The yellow genius cackled, "Present."

"Dig out that special signal tracker we used to find Keroro when he went joyriding on his crappy space bike. Take Mois with you and get it ready to follow the signal for this," She flipped the red device back to him.

"Kukuku…as you wish."

"Fuyuki, you take care of Keroro."

Her brother nodded, a ghost of a smile flickering across his face. _That's my sister…_

"Koyuki?"

Her ninja friend grinned.

"I need to look at the maps with you and Dororo to figure out where you all searched. Maybe I can remember enough about the area to correlate where the battle took place."

The two of them instantly went to scan the maps.

And suddenly she was alone.

She looked down at the front of her pajamas. Torn, covered with dirt and leaf stains and…

Natsumi touched the red flecks that were sprayed across her chest and clenched her fingers into a fist.

_I know you would never stop looking for me…how could I do any less for you?_

She stood to her feet and dashed into the house.

* * *

Changing into a sturdy outfit composed of shorts and a blouse, Natsumi pulled the final gift Giroro had given her from the small box she kept it in.

Looping the trans-dimensional swallow shell around her neck she stared at its shimmering surface …_this one probably sucks the user into another dimension or something._

She would wear it for him anyway.

Her feet then carried her swiftly to the not-so-secret base in their basement.

The entire group was running around busily.

Kululu and Mois were bent close together over the tracking set welding the pieces of equipment into a serviceable device.

Dororo and Koyuki were correlating over a map set and her brother was fanning Keroro in the corner.

Natsumi wished she could look down and see Giroro stalwartly standing at her side waiting for things to go wrong.

**(It's too bad they already have.)**

She headed over to Koyuki and Dororo.

"Well?"

"Natsumi, we searched here, here, and here…the rest was pretty much city and we figured from your clothes that you had been in the forest."

She nodded, "The dragon landed us in a forest, when Giroro rescued me we didn't make it far, just to a small ravine…"

"Like this one?" Koyuki pointed to a thin line in the middle of the eastern forest.

"Yeah…are there any more small ravines?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Dororo had found several more possible sites.

"I guess I'm gonna have to check them all…"

"We can all pitch in Natsumi."

She gave Koyuki a grateful smile.

"Kukuku…your suit is ready Commander."

**(Somehow Kululu's compliments always sound degrading.)**

"I also included a night-vision lens…you seem to have forgotten how late it is, However," Kululu paused ominously, "if there is no signal the machine won't work."

Natsumi strapped in.

"Mois, could you coordinate us as we search?"

The sweet Angol saluted, "Will do."

Natsumi adjusted the tracker and snapped the night vision lens into place.

The device sputtered and coughed, there was no signal for it to follow and for a long moment.

Nothing happened.

Then the device began to flutter, angel-like wings spun out, the halo hovered and glowed.

Even without a signal to follow, Natsumi was lifted into flight.

She disappeared from the base in a whirl of wings.

"I don't get it…" Keroro had awoken in time to witness the scene, "she shouldn't have been able to fly without a signal."

"Kukuku…it seems that someone finally managed to get through to her."

Koyuki squealed and hugged Dororo who stated, "I knew Giroro's persistence would win the day!"

Mois sighed happily, "You could say Love gave her wings."

**(Love indeed, Natsumi's unsquelched emotions are literally soaring!)**

* * *

Giroro's warrior princess was out into the open air in mere moments the wind whipping by as fast as her thoughts. The stars were beginning to shine overhead.

_He's loved me for who knows how long…and I didn't see it until he was gone._

The ground beneath her had changed from cityscape to forest in a matter of minutes. The wings were a blur of speed pattering to the beat of her heart.

_Giroro…you can't be dead!_

* * *

The first map location was a bust. Koyuki and Dororo managed to get to the one nearest the Hinata home and reported nothing at that location as well.

Natsumi turned and directed her flight to the next location.

The forest was dark and silent beneath her; Natsumi adjusted the night vision lens on her right eye. The lifescape of the woods was astounding. They twinkled and flashed beneath her like colored stars.

Except in one particular area, a patch of woods so dark in her night vision that it looked like a scar cut into the vivid landscape. All animal life had scattered…and in the center was a quickly cooling mass that looked grotesquely memorable.

The bloody hulking body of the dragon was still twisted into the little ravine. The beast made no movement when she dared to fly a little closer and the twisted bone covered neck ended not with the beast's horrifying head, but a severed burned stump.

It was truly and thoroughly dead.

Natsumi landed as close as she dared for even in death the five-colored space dragon was a gruesome spectacle.

Cartridges and metal shards littered the ground, clinking against her feet as she stepped closer.

There was no sign of Giroro and the only sound in the surrounding forest was the crunch and clink of her steps.

Beep.

Natsumi jumped at the noise.

Seconds passed.

Beep.

Her heart gave a leap; the tracking halo hanging above her head glowed.

The wings on her back whirled, coming to life in response to the halo. Flickered, fluttered, and carried her into the little canyon.

Natsumi looked frantically about, searching for the presence of her defender.

The night vision settled on a little patch of rock that seemed a bit warmer than the rest.

"Giroro!"

Natsumi flung off the night vision lens and rushed to his side, pressing her fingers desperately to his heart.

Waiting with bated breath…until she felt the faint flutter dancing beneath them.

So slow…

He was hanging on, but only just.

She took him in her arms and pressed her face close to his.

"Natsumi…"his voice was soft and ragged.

"Idiot…always coming to my rescue, always willing to help me, always…always there for me…Why?"

A hand crept up to stroke her cheek.

"…you're…you are so much more…" he coughed as he drew air into his broken lungs, "than just my partner. I…I lov…"

She pressed her lips to his cheek just as the astounded, battered red warrior felt his hold on reality slip away.

Natsumi just held him closer to her chest.

Her keronian partner was a mess. His arms were cut and one hand was totally burned from what could only have been the dragon's fire. Blood had clotted over his left eye and an ominous bone shard had worked its way through his left shoulder.

The dragons head lay a short distance away, next to the red laser blade Giroro preferred.

There was no time to dispose of its body, Natsumi's wings snapped to attention..

Using one hand she snapped the night vision goggles back on, addressing the base with the attached communicator as she flew once again into the night sky.

"Mois, tell everyone I found him. He needs serious medical attention…"

She glanced down at the unconscious corporal. _Hang on Red…_

The wings carried the two of them into the sky and toward home, together.

**(Seems like someone's wish has finally come true. Later, the next day…)**

* * *

Giroro woke in the one place he did not expect to ever spend extensive amounts of time in.

_Why…why am I in Natsumi's bedroom?_

He blinked and realized that only one of his eyes was functioning properly. Also, that his entire body hurt like hell…

Giroro attempted to move and instantly regretted it. _Owe…that stupid dragon really worked me over._

Soft movements on his blinded side made him rotate his head.

_Nat...Natsumi?_

The red warrior could feel his cheeks beginning to burn as blood rushed into them.

**(You are in her bedroom, genius.)**

* * *

Natsumi's head was resting next to him on a pillow and a blanket was draped over her shoulders.

Giroro was fighting an internal battle forcing down his emotions and desperately trying to stay calm.

Natsumi shifted and opened her eyes. In that drowsy state, just between waking and sleeping she yawned, rubbing the sleep from the honey-colored orbs that had absorbed Giroro's attention.

A smile spread across her face and suddenly the sleepiness disappeared as Natsumi wrapped her arms around her keronian partner.

_Blood…violence…death…kill…_

"Giroro!You're finally awake!"

He blinked at her.

"Finally? How long was I out?"

Natsumi pulled away, eyes serious.

"Two days…I was…I was worried about you."

Giroro fought his beating heart, squeezing his burnt hand and using the pain as a balance.

_She…Natsumi was worried about me…_

The blush took on a whole new level as he realized quite something quite suddenly.

_I…I've been in Natsumi's bed for 2 days…_

Natsumi let the blanket fall from her shoulders as she wriggled out of it. Giroro just stared at her blushing and was shocked to see a light red shade coloring her cheeks too.

"Giroro…when…when I found you in the forest, I asked you a question," Natsumi paused, growing redder, "do you remember it?"

Her red partner shook his head.

"Ah…sorry Natsumi. I don't"

"I…just want to know why you always protect me, why you go through so much trouble when I need help, why…why you're always there and willing to help me."

Giroro looked away from the honey eyes that burned into his soul.

He closed his healthy eye.

"You're my partner…"

Natsumi pounced onto the bed, suddenly irate.

"Is that all? You…you said something else, when I found you."

Giroro opened his eye and stared at her again, suddenly wary.

She looked down and clenched the blankets in her fists.

"You said I…I was more than just that, you said….."

_She…knows? I told her…Bloodviolencedeathki….awe hell, it's now or never!_

Giroro slowly stood, used a shaking red hand to tilt her chin up, and then pressed his lips firmly against hers.

Natsumi gasped into his mouth and Giroro took the opportunity to delicately touch the tip of her lips with his tongue.

_Wow…I can die happy now when she slaps me…_

But no slap was forcoming. Tears ran silently down Natsumi's cheeks as she grabbed Giroro by his ears and pulled him deeper into the kiss. His fangs scraped a little as he searched her mouth with his own. Soft, with a taste as sweet as sweet potatoes. Though he longed for the moment to stretch forever, Giroro pulled away gently, reluctantly.

"I love you."

He was burning like a furnace and despite his collected exterior, the beat of Giroro's heart felt like a cannon booming against the inside of his chest. He waited with bated breath as Natsumi took in his statement…

And pulled him into a hug. His broken body protested, but the red corporal's joy was undimmed.

"I…I realize that now."

_I refuse to faint now..._

Her voice was so soft and sweet, showing him the gentle side of his fierce warrior princess. The side few knew existed.

They stayed in their embrace a moment longer.

Until they heard the sound of clapping.

"Woohooo!"

"Way to go Gi-ro-ro!"

"Hey Sis, your face is really red."

"Kukuku…clickie-poo."

The flash of a camera set off a chain reaction.

Giroro seemed to forget all about his injuries, he spun around. Eyes glowing a dangerous red as he narrowed in on the primary culprit.

"KULULU!Have you been watching this whole time!

The yellow keronian smirked.

"Of, course…we've been waiting ages for you to wake up. I needed some new blackmail material."

Kululu was immediately forced to dodge a barrage of bullets from Giroro's stun gun.

The others scattered with yelps as the hot-headed corporal leapt into pursuit of his oppressors.

Natsumi's face went from red to white and then back to red. Cracking her fists, she called out to her keronian lover.

"Giroro!Save that green jerk for me!

* * *

**(And thus a sense of normality returned to the Hinata household. Natsumi has figured out the depth of Giroro's emotions, our red corporal's dream has come true….and they all lived happily ever after. Sort of…we still don't know what Natsumi really thinks about all this. The author ran out of space this chapter.)**

Fin.

**(Well…until the epilogue. We still need to find out what Natsumi's Trans-dimensional swallow shell is for.)**

* * *

All flames will be laughed at and then Giroro will bazooka the behind off of whoever wrote it.

I do not own Sgt. Frog. I wish I did though!

If it pleases you review! I will post the epilogue shortly =D


	6. Epilogue

**(Later the next day, after the entire platoon was given a beating…)**

Natsumi finished adjusting the bandages over Giroro's hand. He had reopened the cracked skin on his burned hand summoning his blaster.

The silence was a little awkward. Natsumi wasn't sure how to process the new emotions concerning her partner.

_He loves me…and I certainly didn't hate that kiss…and he's one of my best friends…but how on earth could anything like a relationship work between us? _

She needed a little more time to think.

"Giroro…what is this swallow shell for?"

Her partner blinked and touched the shell gently with his unburned hand.

It glowed and almost hummed.

"The trans-dimensional swallow shells are a wonderful and rare thing. They can shift between dimensions and exist in the space between the worlds."

He looked at Natsumi, "weapons specialists treasure them for their ability to become substantial armories…they are extremely difficult to find."

Natsumi smiled him, "How'd you find mine?"

He smiled at her with his one good eye.

"That's a secret I will never share."

Natsumi poked him in pretended offense and the two of them fell silent.

With his burning emotions satiated with the knowledge that she knew how he felt for her, Giroro was calm. However, he could sense Natsumi's internal confusion. There was one more thing he needed to tell her.

"Natsumi."

She looked up at him.

"Please don't feel like you need to claim love for me."

Her eyes widened, "But, I don't kno.."

Giroro cut her off, his voice gruff, "We are very different physically and it's true that such a thing could lead to problems for us later on. My heart will not change because of that difference. Regardless of who you wish to share your life with, I only ask that you allow me to protect you for the rest of mine."

Natsumi scooped him into her arms and buried her face into his shoulder. Giroro sighed as he felt her warm tears splashing on his cool skin.

"You know…you can be really sweet Red. You didn't even give me a chance to answer you. I don't know what the future holds for us, I don't know if we will be together forever, I don't know how we will handle the problems we encounter, but I do know one thing for sure…"

Giroro's heart sang with joy, as the one person he loved more than anything whispered softly into his ear.

"I will always love you, Giroro,"

She kissed his cheek and laughed.

"but you need to stop blushing every time I hold you."

Her keronian lover didn't hear her; he had passed out in her arms.

**(Well, we have reached the end of this little tale. The author invites you to preview her 2 latest story ideas and vote on which one she will do first.)**

Fin (For now)

I would like to take a moment to thank all my reviewers, Ashinka, crazywarriorgirl, Silver-skylight, Rainbowkittyblossomwings, Zany-Anime-Girl, RunwithscissorsXXXbattlescar s, joyfullyme16, Kikyoremura, giroroxnatsumi, Scanty-kneesocks, Mattie-Scary, TMNTLittleTomboy, Heinous966, Nessa the Otaku, Maned Wolf Godess, and the sweet unnamed guests, many of you left me multiple reviews and I enjoyed each of them!

Thank you for all the love! Let me know which story you'd like to read first.

Here are the stories:

Story 1:

A warrior princess burdened with the fate of earth, Natsumi is the only living being able to create the Bastion field. Little does she know that earth has already been invaded. What secret is her bodyguard, Red Gocho hiding? Alternate Universe (AU) setting.

This one has its prologue finished. =D I couldn't stop typing once I got the idea. It will probably be an extended story as it has a lot of potential.

Story 2:

While bumbling around the local arcade, Kululu "accidentally" creates a trans-dimesional field that pulls Natsumi and Giroro into the game Zombie Apocalypse. The only way they can escape is to defeat the brainless zombies, monsters, and traps, winning the game.

A shortish story, set within the anime.

Anyway, those are them! What do you all think and do y'all have any story requests or ideas you would like to see happen for our favorite characters. COntemplated a lemon...but I don't think I could bring myself to write one. Let me know your ideas!

So…one last time.

If it pleases you, Review!


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